Illinois Basketball Dominates Indiana 71-51: Mirkovic Scores Career-High 25 Points

#8 Illinois Overpowers Indiana, 71-51

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The No. 8 University of Illinois Fighting Illini defeated the Indiana Hoosiers 71-51 on Sunday, February 15, 2026, at the State Farm Center. The Illini (21-5, 12-3 B1G) secured the victory with a dominant second half, outscoring Indiana 33-20, and a 38-25 rebounding advantage.

David Mirkovic led all scorers with 25 points, shooting 10-for-16 from the field and adding three 3-pointers. This performance marked a career-high for Mirkovic against a Big Ten opponent. He also contributed seven rebounds, including two on the offensive end.

Keaton Wagler added 18 points, six rebounds, three assists, and a career-high three steals. Wagler has now scored in double figures in 18 consecutive games, averaging 20.7 points during that stretch, and in all 15 Big Ten appearances, averaging 22.0 points.

Tomislav Ivisic scored 14 points, 12 of them in the second half, and grabbed six rebounds, four on the offensive glass.

Kylan Boswell, returning to the floor after a seven-game absence due to a broken right hand, tallied nine points, seven rebounds, two assists, and a steal, with four rebounds coming on the offensive end.

Ben Humrichous made a significant impact with a season-high eight rebounds and two steals, his most rebounds in a game since January 2025.

Indiana started the game strong, shooting 6-for-10 from the field to take a 15-14 lead. However, Illinois responded with a 10-0 run, fueled by 3-pointers from Boswell and Mirkovic, to gain a lead they would not relinquish.

The Illini controlled the first half, utilizing an 18-12 rebounding advantage and 15 points from Mirkovic to build a 38-31 lead at halftime.

Illinois dominated the early minutes of the second half, holding Indiana scoreless from the field for the first four minutes and embarking on an 11-0 run to extend their lead to 54-36 with 12 minutes remaining.

The Illini closed out the game with an 11-3 run, securing a 20-point victory.

Illinois will next travel to the West Coast for a two-game road trip in Los Angeles, beginning Wednesday with a matchup against USC. Tipoff is scheduled for 9 p.m. CT on Big Ten Network.

Player Notes

• David Mirkovic scored 25 points, his ninth consecutive game with 10+ points and 20th of the season. It was his most points against a Big Ten opponent. He also had seven rebounds and tied for the team lead with three assists.
• Keaton Wagler scored 18 points with six rebounds, three assists, and a career-high three steals.
• Tomislav Ivisic added 14 points, six rebounds, and a block, marking his third consecutive game with 10+ points.
• Kylan Boswell tallied nine points and seven rebounds in his return to the starting lineup after a seven-game absence with a broken right hand.
• Ben Humrichous grabbed a season-high eight rebounds, his most since January 2025.

Team Notes

• The starting lineup for Illinois was Kylan Boswell, Jake Davis, Tomislav Ivisic, David Mirkovic, and Keaton Wagler. This was the first time this lineup had started since the season-opener against Jackson State on November 3.
• Illinois improves to 21-5 on the season, their best record through 26 games since the 2008-09 season.
• The Illini are 12-3 in Big Ten play, their best record through 15 games since the 2020-21 season.
• Illinois is 13-2 at home this season, their best record since going 15-2 at State Farm Center in 2022-23.
• The Illini have secured seven Quad 1 wins this season, tied for the sixth-most in the nation.
• Sunday’s game was the ninth sellout (15,544) of the season at State Farm Center.
• Illinois outrebounded Indiana 38-25, with a 15-4 advantage on the offensive glass.
• Illinois has won three straight games against Indiana.